California Solo (2012): cast, story & where to watch

Released in 2012, California Solo is a drama and music film directed by Marshall Lewy, running about 93 minutes.

What it’s about. Lachlan MacAldonich is a self-described “lazy Scotsman” and former guitar player for a once-popular 1990s rock band. No longer famous, he now lives a comfortably numb existence working on an organic farm outside Los Angeles. He drinks himself into a stupor every night and retires to his shabby apartment to record his podcast, recounting the tragic deaths of great musicians. After a particularly heavy night of drowning his sorrows at a local watering hole, he is arrested for driving under the influence. This snag, coupled with a long-ago conviction for a drug offense, means Lachlan faces possible deportation. His only hope of remaining stateside is proving that his absence would cause extreme hardship for a spouse or relative – forcing him to confront relationships he thought were buried forever.

Who’s in it. California Solo stars Robert Carlyle as Lachlan MacAldonich, Alexia Rasmussen as Beau, Kathleen Wilhoite as Catherine and A Martinez as Warren, among others.

How it landed. With an audience score of 5.6/10, California Solo has drawn a solid, mixed-to-positive response. It went on to earn $15.3K at the box office.

Where to watch. In US you can stream it on OVID and Strand Releasing Amazon Channel and rent or buy it from Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies and YouTube. See the full, country-by-country breakdown on our where to watch California Solo page.

If you liked it. Fans of California Solo tend to enjoy The Shawshank Redemption, The Godfather, Schindler's List and The Godfather Part II.